My Schedule with 7 kids under 11.

With seven kids you have two options: stay organized or go with the flow.

I am thankfully a very organized mom so I chose to fall under the category STAY ORGANIZED. It simply is not an option to go with the flow. You need to have a set time and a set schedule.

Why I Homeschool

When my daughter was born it was decided that I would stay home with her and my husband would go to work until she was old enough to start kindergarten.

So in 03 when she started school - I had it all planned out. I was going to return to my job as a family lawyer and work during the day.

So one day I decided to surprise her with a visit and when I arrived to her class I was AMAZED and SHOCKED, but more shocked. The kids where allowed to do what ever, and the teacher allowed kids to go to the bathroom whenever.

So me being organized person my head almost broke off! I just wanted to take over the class. So that day I talked to the teacher and the principal. The principal said she had more important things to do and the teacher just walked away. So I picked my daughter up from school and took her home.

That rest of the day I was thinking what I could do because I didn't want my child to return. When my husband returned we talked it over till I would say 11 pm. We had thought of another elementary shhool or private school and it never crossed my mind to homeschool. That next day I was watching the news and a segment about kids and their education came up and thats when it crossed my mind that I could homeschool.

At first my husband thought I was CRAZY! But then he became more confident and I knew I could do this. So the following week I started to homeschool my daughter and the following year my twin sons. Then a year later my other daughter, and two years later my twin sons, and two years later my other twins. I personally believe that homeschooling is the way to go.

My Homeschool Schedule

Here is our schedule :

7:00 We are all up...7:30 We get ready for the day and eat breakfast.8:30 School Starts and we do the morn. basics:- say the pledge- say our prayer- I collect homework- If there is time left we do a warm up.9:00 English- Spelling: M-F- Grammar: Tuesdays- Writing: Wednesdays- Vocab.: Thursdays- Literature: T-Th.10:30 Recess- Snack and Bathrooms10:45 Clean Up11:00 Math12:30 Lunch1:30 Science or Social Studies- Science on Mondays and Wednesdays- Social Studies on Tuesdays and Thursdays2:15 Block Activity- Mon.: Music- Tues.: Language - Wed.: Art- Thurs.: P.E.- Fri: Free Play or Free Choice2:45 Work on Homework and Snack3:30 Clean Up and Dismissal3:30 Break3:30 Chores4:30 Finish Homework or Chores5:00 Relax...Yes!6:00 Dinner7:00 Showers and Baths8:00 3 youngest go to bed.8:30 4 oldest go to bed.

Comments for My Schedule with 7 kids under 11.

I love the schedule. I am a check it off kind of person and like to see the plan for the day. I recreate school at home; that way I know I'm covering all the important stuff. There is nothing wrong with doing school at home and yes, it's still homeschooling.Thank you for sharing your schedule; I thought I was the only one who schedules like this.

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A Comment on the commentsby: Anonymous

Whether the schedule works for you or not is no reason to criticize her methods. I only have five, so I know that our house isn't up to the activity level that this one is, but I can say that it is necessary for me to have a schedule to make sure no one gets left out and the subjects get covered. You assume that she is making everyone line up in little rows at little desks for every subject. Who says you can't have scheduling and fun? We stick to a schedule very similar, but I can assure you that our children are always engaged and active and there are plenty of opportunities for natural and creative learning. As for the homework, we've had to put a time in for that as well with our children getting older. It probably should be renamed, "finishing today's projects." I found that when we are going along, a few of my children like to linger and just assume that we can "get to it tomorrow." Instead, we set a timer and when we need to move on, we do. Anything they need to finish they just do after our day is done-on their time. The responsibility now falls on them. Of course, if they are totally engrossed in something and authentically learning, we linger together and move subjects for the next day around to accommodate this. I am just pointing out that occasionally, it is okay to have them finish what they didn't. Again, this is implemented at older ages when they know they have "homework" because they decided to doodle rather than participate during the lesson.

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Whatever worksby: Anonymous

Very disciplined schedule! I like discipline! We have to do whatever our personality order seems best for us.. When your the teacher, it is your rules, not the childrens rules if your going to teach effectively. I do however believe in the one and one time with the more difficult learners when needed. My schedule has been changed over the years many times. I have 3, one which is a 2 year old and have had to change many times because of her phases.. Also, my dad past away recently and that altered my schedule because of hospital trips and emergency visits.. Along with having to be the support for my grieving mom and taking time out to be there for her.. I crave the discipline schedule and pray that I am able to get back on it soon! And as far as the bathroom - I believe in letting them go when they need to, but kids will seem to need to very often - as mine do. I will sometimes make them take their work with them.. So maybe a bathroom break is something to consider!
And indeed - children thrive on routine.. It is good discipline!

Great teaching!

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Encouragementby: Lucrecia

Happy New YEAR! IT'S WONDERFUL NEWS! My grandson is asking to do his schoolwork again. We are doing the hooked on math and hooked on handwriting.He has finished the first yellow book.! (He He)I am praying everyone is off to a wonderful start. Always in my thoughts and prayers,

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You have your hands full!by: Jenny

I think this really does go to show just how different we all are! It's not about saying who is right or wrong - clearly it's all about what works for your family and if this works for you then go for it!

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Ridiculousby: Anonymous

This is a ridiculous post. First of all she claims she homeschools her seven children and when you add up the kids and twins it is eight kids. Secondly, this is school at home not homeschool. Thirdly, there is a difference between chaos and freedom to use the restroom. There would be no reason for homework when you show your child(ren) how to execute a newly taught idea and then once they have mastered the idea set them to complete it while you work with another child. There is so much time in this schedule for them to complete tasks. Keep in mind teachers use this same schedule with 25-30 kids,t hat is why they get homework. You only have seven or eight depending on how you count if this is even a real post.

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You are awesome!by: Jenifer

I've never met anyone with a schedule so similar to mine. Yes, I like organization too. We are up at 7:30 do chores, breakfast, piano, are dressed and ready for 9 am pledge, prayer, exercise, and scripture study. We start our subjects after that and continue until 10:30 recess. We have recess for 40 min though and then snack. Our lunch is also at 12:30 and we are usually done around 2 with the rest of school. I do our serious subjects Mon-Thur. Then we do our Music, PE, and Art on Friday. I put together an excel spreadsheet (in a sheet protector) for each of my two daughters and they mark off what they have accomplished with a dry erase marker. We clean the sheet protector at the end of the week and start over. I also have a two year old son that we do speech therapy exercises with during the day. My opinion is that the kids thrive under a routine. They are always correcting me if we get off.

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LOSSby: Lucrecia

Thank-you, for sharing with us.I am tring to fix a schedule for but, it's hard.My grandchildren are ages 5 and 9.My grandson 5yrs. old was doing wonderful but, now he is not wanting to do anything.I am loss,but I keep telling my self tomarrow will be a better day.

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Understandableby: Anonymous

I can imagine with a large family, there is a need for a more structured schedule. I only have the one child and sometimes getting the work done feels like climbing up the side of a glacier. However, I like to think that there is hopefully some flexibility in that schedule. I would like more teachers like the one in your post, after my son was refused permission to go to the bathroom during a lesson and ended up wetting himself in front of the whole class. And this was in high school. It had devastating results for him and us and all because of rules and regulations. We need to remember that kids are people too and not robots. I understand we all do things different and that's always a good thing. But let's have some fun too! Thanks for sharing!

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Interestingby: Anonymous

I found this interesting as it seems you don't home educate, but recreate school at home like it was long ago. When do your children play? Play is after all child's work. I don't understand the concept of homework when you are at home anyway. I understand the need for a schedule but can't see how this would work in practice unless you force the children in some way to comply. I have seen big families homeschool on a schedule and still make time for being a child and play and discover the world. This seems more about you controlling them. About going to the bathroom: isn't it a basic human right to have your physical needs met or do I miss something here?

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Thank you for sharing your scheduleby: Julie

Thank you so much for sharing your schedule. I think it will be really useful to other homeschoolers with big families.
I really appreciate you taking the time to share with us.
best wishes, Julie.

Oh my goodness! I am a home schooling mum of 4 and I have NEVER found a better site! Thank you so much.
Blessings, Jenny (New Zealand)
I wanted to say THANK YOU for your fabulous website. I found your website, and finally I have the confidence to take the plunge and take my daughter out of school and educate her at home, thank you, thank you.Marina (UK)
I cannot get over how much great information and super ideas you have here. Fantastic!Ruralmama (USA)
This is simply fabulous!! I just now found this site and I'm so excited!! The opportunities and suggestions as well as the need to inspire are exactly what I have been searching to fulfill!! I'm so thrilled to get started and even more excited to continue to explore all of the fabulous suggestions and creative ideas you have offered here!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!Jennifer (USA)